Alleged Pottstown murder conspirator: I don't shoot people'

(file) Michael Hinton arrives for his arraignment for the alleged shooting death of Victor Enrique Bonilla Baez in this file photo. (Digitial First Media/ John Strickler/file)

NORRISTOWN — A Norristown man accused of taking part in a Pottstown gunshot slaying has told a judge he’s “a good guy” who doesn’t “play with guns.”

“I’m a talkative person. I’m a good guy. I’m not a bad person. I don’t play with guns. I don’t shoot people,” Michael Romain Hinton testified Monday in Montgomery County Court during a pretrial hearing at which he tried to keep his alleged incriminating police statements from ever being heard by a jury.

Hinton, 27, of the 900 block of North Stainbridge Street, who faces charges of first-, second- and third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and firearms violations in connection with his alleged role in the 2:17 a.m. March 22, 2013, gunshot slaying of Victor Enrique Bonilla Baez outside Brian’s Café in Pottstown, implied when he fights he uses his hands and not guns.

Advertisement

Hinton told President Judge William J. Furber Jr. he didn’t voluntarily give or sign alleged incriminating statements that detectives have attributed to him.

“I’m saying I didn’t sign that,” Hinton, referring to one of his alleged police statements, testified. “I couldn’t close my hand or write that day.”

Hinton claimed his right hand was in a cast, as a result of suffering a gunshot wound to the hand, during one of the times authorities maintain he freely gave a statement.

Hinton’s lawyer Patrick J. McMenamin Jr., argued Hinton’s statements also were not voluntary or knowing because he was questioned while waiting for or under treatment at the hospital for gunshot wounds he suffered on March 22.

“He was treated medically and given…a narcotic painkilling medication and that prevented his ability to knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waive his Constitutional rights to remain silent,” McMenamin argued.

But county Detective Todd Richard testified Hinton voluntarily gave the statements and signed them as well as so-called Constitutional rights forms.

“That is his signature. He did review and he did sign it,” said Richard, referring to one of the documents.

Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Strubel argued Hinton was properly questioned by detectives and that there was nothing to indicate he was confused or under the influence of medication at the time. Strubel implied Hinton was so coherent that he even was able to concoct an initial false statement in an attempt to mislead detectives about the alleged shooting.

“There’s nothing to indicate that the defendant didn’t know what was going on,” argued Strubel, who was assisted by co-prosecutor Lindsay O’Brien.

Furber took the matter under advisement and is expected to rule on the matter in a few days.

Hinton’s trial is scheduled to get under way April 15.

Hinton’s cousin, Maurice Laverne “Reece” Andrews Jr., 20, whose last known address was in the first block of North Charlotte Street, Pottstown, also is charged in connection with the murder and faces a separate trial later this year.

Baez, who also was known as Vincent Taylor, was found lying in the street adjacent to the sidewalk at Brian’s Café in the 300 block of Jefferson Avenue suffering from gunshot wounds to his torso, according to the criminal complaint filed by Richard and Pottstown Detective Heather Long. An autopsy determined Baez, 27, died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Authorities alleged Andrews was involved in an ongoing feud with Baez, who was unarmed, at the time of the fatal shooting.

Hinton was apprehended several hours after the shooting when he was spotted on a borough street with a gunshot injury. Hinton initially gave police inconsistent statements, but he eventually told detectives Andrews approached him a day before the murder and confided in him that Andrews was involved in an attempted kidnapping of Baez’s nephew on March 20, according to court papers.

“Andrews said that the plan had failed and he believed that Baez wanted to harm him,” detectives, referring to Hinton’s statement, wrote in the arrest affidavit. “Hinton said that Andrews asked Hinton to come to Pottstown with him to ‘watch his back.’”

Andrews and Hinton allegedly traveled by bus from Norristown to Pottstown on March 21 and armed themselves with guns, Andrews with a Glock semiautomatic pistol and Hinton with a .357-caliber revolver, according to court papers. In the early morning hours of March 22, the armed men went to the area of Brian’s Café, where Baez was known as a regular customer.

“Hinton said that Andrews told him he wanted to kill Baez,” detectives said.

Andrews waited in a vehicle outside the bar while Hinton went inside to see if Baez was there, court documents indicate. According to Hinton’s statement to police, when Baez left the bar, Andrews approached him with a gun.

“Hinton said he also pulled his gun and Baez grabbed onto the barrel and a struggle ensued. During this struggle, Hinton said that Baez gained control of the revolver and the gun discharged,” according to the criminal complaint. “Hinton said Andrews fired his gun, striking both Baez and Hinton. Hinton said he was struck in the hand and that he left the revolver at the scene.”

A Smith & Wesson .357-caliber revolver was found to the left side of Baez’s body, court papers indicate.